Mumbai: Against the backdrop of paint smearing attack on Sudheendra Kulkarni and cancellation of Ghulam Ali's concert due to Shiv Sena opposition, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis yesterday said security will be provided to all dignitaries visiting the state.

"It's our government's responsibility to provide security to all foreigners, diplomats or dignitaries who are allowed on proper visa," he said after Kulkarni was smeared with paint for deciding to go ahead with former Pakistan Foreign Minister's book launch here.

The attack on Kulkarni drew sharp condemnation from parties, with Congress saying that "The idea of India as the most liberal democratic country, despite all our neighbours having gone the other way, is being destroyed in the root".

Defending the action of party activists, senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said "Smearing ink is a very mild form of democratic protest. They are so upset about ink. Imagine when our soldiers are killed and their blood is spilled. It is not ink, it is the blood of our soldiers.

Kasuri's book 'Neither a Hawk nor a Dove: An Insider's Account of Pakistan's Foreign Policy', which was recently unveiled in Delhi, is set to be launched in Mumbai today. Shiv Sena had demanded that the event be scrapped and had threatened to disrupt it.

Kulkarni, who has served as speech writer for BJP veterans Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani, had met Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at the latter's residence 'Matoshree' here late last night, but left without getting any assurance from him.